


sweeter than the chocolates you give

by taeyeons



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Romance, i tried my best xx, too much anime talk for me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-07
Updated: 2017-07-07
Packaged: 2018-11-29 01:43:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11430555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taeyeons/pseuds/taeyeons
Summary: Jongin has two wishes; one is for his best friends to shut up and two is for his neighbour to stop being a cute little shit.





	sweeter than the chocolates you give

**Author's Note:**

> prompt #37

Jongin stares down at the boy sitting on his couch, cross-legged, absolutely comfortable like it's his own home. He licks at a chocolate-coated finger when he notices Jongin standing at the foot of his room, a grin growing on his lips. Jongin suddenly feels something akin to irritation prickling underneath his skin. This boy is the bane of his existence, Jongin is too tired to even lunge across the room to wrap his hands around his ne–

 

“Hey,” the boy greets, acting like it's absolutely normal to trespass into someone's home. “What's up? Just woke up?”

 

Jongin grits his teeth, “Sehun. Return the apartment key back, will you?” He lifts his hands to rub against his eyelids, trying to ebb the sleepiness away. It's four in the afternoon and the short nap had been disrupted by the sudden loud television blaring in the living room scaring the wits out of Jongin.

 

“Why should I?” the boy – Sehun raises an eyebrow at Jongin, picking up another chocolate from a box opened on his lap. “Who's going to check on you when you're going through your deathly finals? Who's going to care about you?”

 

“I don't need you to care about me,” Jongin grunts. He sits down next to Sehun, grabbing the remote and immediately turning the volume down so it doesn't ring in his ears. “You moved out. The key doesn't belong to you anymore.”

 

“Clearly, since you've gotten a new roommate.”

 

Jongin blinks. Suddenly, he's feeling too awake and he swivels around to stare at Sehun in disbelief. He's noticing, for the first time properly, the chocolate box on Sehun's lap with half of the content gone.

 

“What?”

 

Sehun shrugs, “Aren't these chocolates delivered to your new roommate?”

 

He reaches for something on the floor and Jongin, once again, notices a small cardboard box with a few more chocolate boxes in it. Just as Sehun opens his stupid mouth to add another stupid remark Jongin bets, Jongin makes a grab at the parcel, immediately checking the recipient and groans when he reads the name: Park Chanyeol.

 

“That's not my roommate, dimwit,” Jongin throws the parcel onto the table with a soft thud. He leans back into the couch, closing his eyes momentarily. “I think it's my neighbour.”

 

Jongin can hear the confusion in Sehun's voice as he asks, “Then, why is it addressed here?”

 

Shrugging, Jongin sighs, “It's probably a mistake but he's done it a few times.”

 

When Jongin opens one eye, he sees Sehun squinting at him, scrutinising. “Are you sure it's a mistake?”

 

There's that tone of disbelief in Sehun's voice that makes Jongin wonder what exactly imaginative thoughts the latter is cooking up in his mind. Jongin opens his eyes fully and narrows his gaze at the younger, “What else could it be?”

 

“Don't know. Maybe he fancies you.”

 

Sehun jumps in surprise as Jongin barks out, laughing so loud that the entire apartment is echoing his string of laughter. The amusement are shown in the crinkles of his eyes and Sehun isn't having any of it. Sehun glares at the latter when Jongin continues to laugh harder at Sehun's reaction, glaring further with a wince when Jongin hits at his arm in laughter. A terrible habit that Jongin should quit but Sehun's quite the perfect punching bag.

 

“He's straight!” Jongin chuckles, coming down from his high. A memory flashes in his mind, “Once I caught a girl outside of his door, leaving a box of his belongings. Must have been a recent breakup.”

 

Jongin had just returned from another one of his late study nights coped up in a booth in the library, up till the closing. Even the librarian had to kick him out because he had dozed off somewhere between reading a theory on gravity and doodling his dogs at home onto his notes. The library had been pitch black and he was frankly lucky to be even asked to leave, wondered how he wasn't forgotten in such emptiness.

 

He was climbing up the stairs to his apartment because of course, the elevator had to stop working on such a tiring day and he had to resort to five flights of stairs to his level. Jongin was quite literally out of breath when he reached his floor, dragging his feet to his door when he noticed a girl leaving a box at the opposite door.

 

Jongin caught her eye and she looked so morose, eyes slightly watery at the edges. She immediately turned away, locks of blond hair tucked behind an earlobe. She held tightly on the strap of her bag, lingered for a second in front of his neighbour's door before finally swivelling around to walk away without a second glance.

 

Jongin glanced at the box, reading the name, 'Park Chanyeol', written across the white expanse in such a rushed, messy penmanship. Then, he glanced up at the door opposite his, hesitated on the tips of his heels before moving forward to lightly press the button. He could hear the doorbell blaring through the apartment inside and he realised, mortified, if he was interrupting the boy's slumber. Before Jongin could process the thought of running inside his home for safe cover, the door in front of him parted to reveal a boy so _fucking_ tall with messy, curly hair, eyes blinking and a hand running through that said hair constantly.

 

For a second, Jongin stood, speechless. He had never really seen his neighbour properly, never seen him in such close proximity. Just a one second glance in the corridor, maybe in the lobby if Jongin managed to be home in the evening. Jongin was staring, lips sewn shut. But then, his neighbour raised an eyebrow, his voice deep and so hoarse it woke Jongin out of his state.

 

“Hi?”

 

“Um,” Jongin started. He realised how stupid he looked standing there probably. He remembered the box by his foot and immediately gestured to it. His neighbour followed the line of his direction, his eyes widening. “Someone left this at your door and I wanted to alert you before uh.. I don't know.. someone tries to steal or something.”

 

Jongin was aware of his babbling but thank goodness, his neighbour hadn't said anything, merely stared at his name on the box. A look passed over his neighbour's face and he looked up at Jongin, nodding.

 

“Thanks, dude,” Chanyeol said. A small smile appeared on his lips, Jongin found it endearing for some reason. “You didn't have to do this.”

 

Jongin waved it away, his own smile appearing. “Gotta look out for my fellow neighbours, you know. Sorry that I woke you up.”

 

“That's really nice of you,” Chanyeol looked surprised but his smile was unwavering. Jongin began to notice something bubbling in his heart. “I'll... uh take care of this and you can...” His eyes drifted past Jongin's shoulder and he understood, his feet were already moving backwards.

 

“No problem,” Jongin managed to say as he watched Chanyeol scoop the box in his arms and throw one last smile over at him before closing the door behind his back.

 

He touched his chest gently, feeling that particular tug in his chest. Breathing in noisily, Jongin wondered aloud, “Am I having gastric?”

 

“Did he just 'dude' you?” Sehun asks instead as he hears Jongin recount the story in a different version of course or else Sehun will humiliate him for life if he finds out that Jongin kind of finds his neighbour cute. Not to mention that the guy's straight so this would be a repeat of –

 

“This sounds like a repeat of you and Junmyeon,” Jongin groans at the mention of Junmyeon's name. Not that he detests the guy, he respects him for all he is and may have taken a liking to the guy when he was his senior in high school but can you really blame Jongin when Junmyeon is utterly handsome and caring and he successfully managed to walk two of his dogs at once?

 

Of course, Junmyeon turned out to be as straight as a ruler and he had been secretly dating the captain of the cheerleader squad, Joohyun, so Jongin stood no chance to begin with even though he's just as flexible, being a trained ballet dancer.

 

“This is different for two reasons,” Jongin answers. Sehun smirks and he wants to slap it off his face as he continues. “One, I don't have a crush on my neighbour. And two, I don't even know him so that brings us back to number one.”

 

“You may not know him but you sure want to bone him,” Sehun simply remarks as Jongin sputters, bewildered at such an implication. “Don't lie.”

 

“I'm not lying!” Jongin huffs. He's not exactly lying, what he said is true. Maybe his neighbour is slightly cute when he's sleepy-eyed and whatever, Jongin is not crushing on a straight guy for the second time.

 

“Anyway, this doesn't answer my question of why is this addressed here in his name?”

 

Jongin sighs again, exasperated with Sehun, his presence, everything right now. “I have no fucking idea, Sehun. But if you could quit eating the chocolates, maybe I can send it back to him and ask him.”

 

“Tell him to recommend that website he got his chocolates from because you need a revamp in your pantry,” Sehun pipes up, sucking on a chocolate, ignoring Jongin's glare.

 

“Why should that matter? You don't live here.”

 

“You're so rude,” Sehun shakes his head at his best friend. Jongin just wants to kick Sehun out of his apartment, maybe he should kick him out literally out of the window. “I just want you to have good chocolate.”

 

The boiling point has been reached and Jongin shouts at his best friend, “I don't want chocolate! I want to sleep and you out of my apartment!”

 

The sound of Sehun's laughter rings into his ears and Jongin chucks a pillow from his couch right in his face without a single thought which makes him feel slightly better but the grumpiness remains when Sehun stays where he is, devouring the rest of the chocolates.

 

Jongin sulks, abandons Sehun at the couch and retreats back into his room with a fair warning that if Sehun blares the television again, he'd call Donghae down to lecture him. That shut him up, Jongin chuckles at the look of shock and betrayal on Sehun's face, tucking in for a longer nap.

 

It doesn't last because all Jongin thinks about is the name on the parcels he has been receiving.

 

 

 

 

 

A teddy bear was the beginning. The beginning of the stream of wrongly sent parcels.

 

At first, Jongin thought it was a prank. Maybe Sehun had nothing to do (unsurprising) and decided to order it online to send it to Jongin's apartment. Though, that theory doesn't answer two questions; why a teddy bear? (Sehun is known for doing more damage than that) and who is Park Chanyeol?

 

To be fair, Jongin only knows like... two neighbours on his floor. One of them is Mr. Lee and Jongin only knows him because he once helped Jongin carry the television into the apartment whilst ex roommate Oh Sehun was out on a blind date (that didn't go well if you were wondering, Sehun gets pretty snarky...all the time). The second neighbour Jongin remembers is Seulgi and she's from his dance class. Sometimes after class, they awkwardly walk back home together and Jongin was forced to learn her name and they talked at times. She even baked cookies and gave him a batch, babbling about 'baking too much at three in the morning'. Jongin didn't listen much, he was already munching on one of the cookies.

 

That's pretty much his knowledge on his neighbours. Jongin isn't not sociable. He tries his best, he swears, but he gets so easily drowned in classes and schoolwork and his bratty best friend that he barely ventures outside of his zone.

 

So when the parcel came and Jongin tore into it without checking twice, thinking that it's that package of mangas he specially ordered from Japan, he was pretty flustered to see a huge teddy bear with a big, red heart sewn into its tummy.

 

He stared at the teddy bear for a few moments, racking through his brains if he had somehow gotten drunk at one point, scavenged through the bizarre side of amazon and picked this up. Jongin somehow couldn't recall having any alcohol intake lately, so he turned around, grabbed his phone from his table and dialled Sehun's number because there was no one else he could think of.

 

“Do you miss me already?” Sehun's blatant arrogance answered the call and Jongin rolled his eyes.

 

“Shut up. Did you buy a teddy bear recently and forget to change the address?”

 

There was a moment's pause on the other end and Jongin rubbed the teddy's nose absent-mindedly, the copper fur brushing against his skin softly.

 

“Why. Would. I. Buy. A. Teddy. Bear.” Sehun questioned Jongin back with a deadpan tone. “Isn't that the kind of thing you'd do?”

 

“Hey!” Jongin shouted, offended. Then, he murmured. “I don't buy teddy bears.”

 

“No, but you have that one piece character shaped pillow,” Sehun pointed out and Jongin sputtered, clearly abashed as said pillow was sitting in the corner of his bed innocently. “And that is weirder.”

 

“It's just a bolster!” Jongin tried to defend himself but he could hear Sehun cackling on the phone and he started to question his decision of contacting Sehun in the first place.

 

“Whatever you say,” Sehun answered flippantly. Then, “Why did you even ask me about teddy bears?”

 

Jongin sighed, “I received a wrong parcel and accidentally opened it without checking.”

 

“Did it not say who is it addressed to?”

 

Jongin's eyes flitted towards the almost torn slip of paper pasted on the parcel. _Park Chanyeol,_ it read with his own address underneath. There was a mix of surrealism and familiarity as Jongin stared at the name, wondering where the familiarity sparked from.

 

“Park Chanyeol,” Jongin said it out loud, the syllables rolling off his tongue, leaving him with a particularly odd taste. The longer he stared, the clearer the fog in his head became. “I think... it's the new neighbour.”

 

“You've gotten your answer then!” Sehun answered, bemused but Jongin wasn't really paying attention to his best friend. He was recalling the time he heard the name, wrecking his head why he even remembered it till now.

 

“ _Hi,” the intercom buzzed, a little too loudly for Saturday afternoon, a little too noisy for a cooped in Jongin. The voice came through, with a few cuts because Jongin really needed to fix his intercom and he was too lazy to bother now when Sehun left. “I'm the new neighbour, Park Chanyeol! Just right across your door. Uh... I want to pass you some muffins and... are you there?”_

 

“I'll call you back,” Jongin hung up the phone, not even bothering to hear Sehun's response.

 

Jongin looked at the parcel in front of him, the mess he had accidentally created. Sighing, he flicked against the teddy bear's nose almost too fondly for the few minutes he had spent with it. He tried to pull the box back together with a bit of tape and clumsiness. As the teddy bear sat inside of the box, Jongin leaned back to admire his handiwork and frowned immediately. It still looked like it had been torn into, no matter how hard Jongin tried. After a few seconds of poking around, Jongin gave up and just sealed it tightly with another long piece of tape.

 

His neighbour just have to deal with the condition of it and his apology.

 

Jongin was honestly prepared. He was hugging the box to his chest, already opening the door to face the closed door opposite his. Remembering that it was where Park Chanyeol lived, Jongin took one tentative step forward and had an overwhelming thought of having to face him and _communicate and explain why the box was even opened._

 

He immediately pulled back and ran back into his apartment, scrambling for a piece of paper and a pen. He scrabbled an apology and pasted it onto the box. Jongin hoped it read as sincere as he felt. Now, the steps didn't feel as hesitant, Jongin merely felt a bit feared because what if the door had opened when he left it right there? The awkwardness, Jongin wouldn't be able to bear with it.

 

_Maybe,_ Jongin thought. _Next time, Park Chanyeol._

 

 

 

 

 

And soon enough, the next time came fast enough with another wrongly sent parcel. And another one. And another and another.

 

Sometimes, it's sweets and Jongin was guilty of eating a few before trying to seal it back pathetically. Sometimes, it's flowers and Jongin gets the sneezes because he's not too fond of roses. Sometimes, it's actually things he likes such as the entire box set of One Piece with the extras and Jongin hasn't even gotten his hands on it and he wanted to keep it so badly but he remembered the name on the parcel and sent it away to the door across his.

 

With all these parcels in hand, Jongin has had a billion chances to attempt a conversation with his new neighbour (though, not so new as it has been a month since...Jongin is a terrible neighbour) and yet, his lips fail to part and he can't seem to think of anything to say other than “Hey, I tore into your parcel again. Whoops. Let's be friends?”

 

Though, he has never faced Chanyeol properly. Jongin merely left it at the door with his notes, he tried to keep every single one different with little doodles in compensation for tearing them open. The first time he had even talked to Chanyeol was what he had told Sehun and since then, oddly, Jongin had started to notice him around. Walking back home from studying late in the library and running into Chanyeol on his way out, a wide, toothy grin on Chanyeol's end whilst Jongin managed to put together a small smile (maybe it was a grimace, but he did try).

 

And now, as Jongin stands before Chanyeol's shut door seconds after he had successfully kicked Sehun out of his apartment (Sehun put up quite a fit), he feels the nerves rising in his throat, collecting the words he wants to say and keeping them locked away.

 

_You're kind of cute. And my stupid best friend ate some of your chocolates._

 

Jongin thinks of Chanyeol's face and that toothy grin he always wears which somehow gets Jongin's heart all clenched up and bundled into a mess of incoherent words.

 

With that single thought, he scurries away, back into the safety of his abode. He feels bad after a few minutes as the chocolates melt and writes out another note, adding a couple of drawn out puppies. Jongin tapes it to the parcel and quickly knocks on Chanyeol's door before letting it down on the floor and running back into his apartment.

 

Jongin should really learn how to talk to his neighbour.

 

 

 

 

 

“You have a crush on him.”

 

“That's what I said!” Sehun manages to say, sputtering out a few bits of lettuce and it's disgusting. Jongin gives him the dirty look, scrunching his nose at the sight. Sehun ignores it, shameless as he is, and continues. “Jongin just won't admit it.”

 

Jongdae laughs, “Of course he wouldn't. That is Jongin.”

 

Jongin is three seconds away from emptying his entire cup of hot chocolate on Jongdae's head. Though, he's contemplating on dividing the portion to empty the other half onto Sehun's head just to see him suffer the heat. Jongin ducks his head low, trying to conceal the redness painting his cheeks most likely from the heat of the hot chocolate because really, what else could it be? But Jongdae wears a knowing smile, his lips curling at the ends and Jongin knows that there's no way he can hide it.

 

The regret starts building and Jongin feels like erasing himself right from this cafe away from this two taunting him endlessly over something that isn't even real. He knows he made a mistake by agreeing to meet up with them right before class because now, his head will be filled with unnecessary things such as his feelings, talking to a certain neighbour and the imagination of strangling Oh Sehun.

 

“He may be... a little cute.” Jongin finally relents with a soft sigh. Sehun starts applauding mid-chew whilst Jongdae grins wider, resembling a proud parent. Both reactions are equally dramatic and Jongin hates them for it.

 

“But I don't know him so it doesn't count,” Jongin continues, shattering whatever hope they have, _he_ has.

 

“That's because you won't talk to him,” Sehun points out, again while chewing and Jongin has this strong urge to shove the entire sandwich into Sehun's mouth so he stops speaking entirely and Jongin doesn't have to deal with his unnecessary added remarks.

 

Jongin settles for lunging forward and pinching Sehun's skin between his forefinger and thumb, enunciating a wince out of Sehun. He backs away immediately before Sehun can begin plotting his revenge, though, Jongin can already foresee it in the future. He is never safe from any of Sehun's paybacks. The reddened mark on Sehun's milky skin and frown on his face make up for it though.

 

Jongdae, however, shakes his head at Jongin disapprovingly. The ends of his lips start curling upwards and this is it. Jongin knows he has a disastrous idea in mind and he can't escape it unless he sails across the seas and changes his name. Jongin has been the receiving end of Jongdae's ideas and he can say that they are not at all as spectacular as the latter thinks they're. Once, Jongdae convinced Jongin into skinny dipping in the swimming pool back in high school and it wasn't a pretty sight when the female swimming team walked in to see a naked teenage boy frolicking in the waters.

 

Jongin shudders at the memory, the burning hatred returns as Jongdae's smile is further upturned.

 

“How about I–”

 

“No. Whatever it is, no.” Jongin firmly interrupts Jongdae, the latter barely able to say what he wanted to.

 

Jongdae's mouth gapes open, slightly shocked that Jongin even bared the guts to stop him. Jongin isn't paying much attention, already grabbing his backpack and edging out of the booth. His class starts in five minutes and while he isn't that eager to sit in a marketing class, he is seconds away from running out of the cafe, away from his friends. Jongin is suddenly thankful for the fact that Sehun isn't his roommate anymore so he wouldn't have to deal with a sequel afterwards.

 

Jongin drinks the remnants of his hot chocolate, swiping away at his mouth for any chocolate droplets. He raises his eyebrows at the two, waving his goodbye.

 

“Don't call me,” Jongin says before he leaves for class. Jongdae merely looks disappointed as usual because Jongin isn't cooperating with him on his eccentric ideas (Jongin doesn't even have to hear it, he's already mortified from it), and Sehun merely looks bored like he usually is.

 

“Don't forget to talk to the cute neighbour!” Jongdae calls out and that's Jongin's cue to leave, his cheeks reddening when heads turn at Jongdae's booming voice. He doesn't even have it in him to curse him anymore, he runs out as fast as he can.

 

Jongin skips out of the cafe, drinking in the fresh air, glad for it. Then, he remembers the class in a few minutes and his shoulders slouch again, groaning at the hour of marketing he has to suffer through. Jongin begins grumbling on his way to the building, head ducked low, hiding from the blaring sun rays.

 

As Jongin questions all his decisions in his life from his friends to his course classes, he takes his phone out, wanting to indulge himself in a little distraction before class. Jongin barely had the chance to check his notifications (Jongin sees the one email notifying him of an order being despatched) before his head is suddenly bumping into something very soft yet firm. Jongin has a brief thought of it being a huge teddy bear lounging around on campus in daylight and when he looks up, he finds that maybe his thought isn't that far from whoever he's locking eyes with.

 

“Whoops, didn't see you there. Sorry!” Park Chanyeol in the flesh. Of course, Jongin curses himself, of course, these things only happen to him. It's like he is a walking joke. Of course, Park Chanyeol goes to this particular university, because where else, when their apartment building is so close to campus. Jongin feels like cracking his head open on the curb.

 

Is it possible that Jongdae cast a jinx on Jongin?

 

He gapes, staring at the boy in front of him, and he is only aware when said cute boy raises an eyebrow questioningly. Jongin shakes out of his daydream, blinking, and flits his eyes away, feeling a burn on his cheeks. He hopes it's the sun, it has to be the sun.

 

_Big, brown eyes._ Jongin thinks. And he sighs inwardly.

 

“It's fine,” Jongin mumbles. His lips are sewn shut, already betraying Jongdae's words. His hand, holding his phone, is shaking, and he moves away even though his first instinct is to dive right back into the body of warmth he was very briefly indulged in. He can sense Chanyeol's eyes on him and this is probably the closest he has been to the boy since the day he knocked on his door.

 

Jongin clutches the phone tighter and almost scurries away but he keeps his pace normalised, he doesn't want Chanyeol to think that he's running away when he actually is. Once he's a few feet away, he finally releases the breath he has been holding and gathers the courage to look back.

 

Chanyeol's gone.

 

Jongin presses his lips together, tries hard to not curse himself again for being utterly stupid and unlocks his phone to read that email.

 

 

 

 

 

_Are you Park Chanyeol?_

 

_You must be kidding me._

 

At this point, Jongin is convinced that his life is indeed a joke and God is teasing him at every single opportunity given.

 

Jongin glares at the parcel at his doorstep, dropped by the mailman earlier and though it isn't the mailman's fault, Jongin curses him anyway. Jongin begins cursing everything possible. He has a project to return to, sitting on his study desk in his bedroom, but he stands there at his door, looking and feeling very flabbergasted.

 

Then, his gaze moves upwards to stare at the closed door across his, his lips turning downwards at the thought of approaching his neighbour once more. Jongin has the burning urge to call Sehun again in times like this but then, the floating imagery of Sehun laughing at Jongin's ridiculous feelings and teasing him again, bringing up the story of Junmyeon. Jongin can't deal with that, especially now.

 

Jongin rocks on the heels of his feet and breathes out a long sigh before carrying the parcel in his hands, heading towards the door across his, leaving his safe haven. He thinks of writing another post-it note but he recalls that he's running low on them and he needs them for his textbooks. He thinks of what Jongdae had said and draws in another long inhale before exhaling his fears out.

 

He steps over the threshold and breathes in the courage to knock on the door. Jongdae should be proud, he's doing exactly what he asked for. Things never seem to change, Jongin still obeys Jongdae and gets fucked in the end.

 

His nerves are beginning to build and he is a second away from dropping the parcel and running away when the door finally unlocks, parting to reveal someone that is not at all Park Chanyeol.

 

“You're not Chanyeol,” Jongin blurts out and he regrets it immediately when a smile creeps onto the stranger's face, looking too familiar and resembling Jongdae's catty smile.

 

The stranger, in question, has fiery, red hair and it's distracting Jongin from meeting his gaze (which is good). He is sort of cute too and Jongin suddenly wonders if he's Chanyeol's boyfriend. He doesn't know how he jumps to such conclusions or why it matters to him whether or not he is. In the middle of this inner turmoil, the stranger maintains his smile, eyes crinkling at the sides, Jongin is blinded.

 

“No. Thank God, I'm not,” is what the stranger replies to Jongin. He swallows the urge to laugh nervously as the stranger cackles a little at what he had said. Jongin thought it ends there and he's about to hand the parcel over, so ready for it to just end, even more relieved that it's not Chanyeol he's facing but then, “You must be his neighbour. Come in! We are having a movie marathon.”

 

The stranger parts the door further and when Jongin doesn't make a move, too shocked, too paralysed to even digest what he just said, he clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth impatiently and pulls on Jongin's wrist, causing him to stumble forward into Chanyeol's apartment. Before Jongin can even gather his bearings, the other boy is already locking the door behind them and pulling on Jongin's wrist further into the darkened living room.

 

“I'm Baekhyun, by the way,” the shorter male – Baekhyun introduces himself and while Jongin can't properly see him in the dark, he can hear the smile in his words, the friendliness oozing out of it. “Chanyeol's in the bathroom. You came at the perfect timing, we're about to start the first movie.”

 

Jongin barely processes what is going on and how he is past that front door with the parcel still in his hands. He merely nods, knowing well that Baekhyun can't see but he's afraid of opening his mouth to say something, he might squeak or worse, blurt out something even more embarrassing. So he follows suit, seeing a dimmed lamp in the corner and sunlight peeking through the little space between the curtains and the windows. He settles right on the couch when Baekhyun, once again, tugs on his wrist to do so.

 

“I actually just came to give this to Chanyeol...” Jongin mutters quietly. Baekhyun is listening intently, focusing too much on him. Jongin passes the parcel to Baekhyun, eyes moving everywhere.

 

“I'll make sure he gets it! But stay, alright? Chanyeol will make me watch Star Wars and you must join in my fight to watch Bridesmaids.”

 

Jongin manages to crack out a laugh at that, at the thought of Chanyeol being a Star Wars nerd. How is every single detail he finds out about him endearing? Jongin nods, at a loss of words, and Baekhyun smiles as blindingly as the sun.

 

“What's your name?” Baekhyun asks casually. Jongin almost squeaks right there and then. “Chanyeol talks about you a lot but he won't tell me your name.”

 

_What._ “Chanyeol talks about me?” Jongin asks incredulously. The words barely register in his head, his gaze flitting upwards to meet Baekhyun's and there's that knowing smile on Baekhyun's face that Jongin doesn't even know what it deciphers.

 

Before Baekhyun can even say a thing to Jongin's reaction, there's an interruption by a low voice booming from the kitchen and Jongin hates that he recognises it with the little interactions he's had with the owner of said voice.

 

“Did someone break into my apartment? Who are you talk– Oh hello.”

 

Jongin tenses, his gaze locking with the interrupter, Chanyeol. He puts on a small smile though he's sure it resembles more like a grimace. Chanyeol, however, is not fazed and his 1000 watt smile is back on from earlier. Jongin feels the burn of it against his skin, hates that he sort of adores seeing that smile, wonders why he doesn't let himself see it more often.

 

“'Yeol! Your neighbour came by to give you this,” Baekhyun waves the parcel in the air and Jongin swears he has never seen a human being move so fast. Chanyeol literally speeds towards Baekhyun, grabbing the parcel from him, and hugs it against his chest. Jongin guesses that it must be of something important.

 

Chanyeol casts a look at Jongin, smiling with a hint of pity, “I'm sorry Baekhyun dragged you into this.”

 

He walks around the couch and Jongin watches observantly as Chanyeol hesitates between the space next to Baekhyun and the space next to Jongin himself. Chanyeol settles for a space on the far end, where he drapes his too long legs over the arm of the sofa.

 

“So,” Baekhyun suddenly says, breaking Jongin out of his stare and forcing him to turn back to Baekhyun. He wears that smile again, Jongin is perplexed by it. “What's your name again?”

 

Jongin laughs softly, he feels the tension ebbing away and he leans against the sofa a bit. “I'm Kim Jongin.”

 

“Jonginnie,” Baekhyun naturally makes a nickname, Jongin is warmed by it. “Cute.”

 

“Jongin,” he turns at the mention of his name, biting his tongue accidentally at the expectant look in Chanyeol's eyes. Jongin also hates how he loves the way Chanyeol's tongue runs around the syllables of his name at ease. “Since you're the special guest, what's your movie pick?”

 

He can hear Baekhyun quietly chanting _“Bridesmaids, Bridesmaids, Bridesmaids”_ under his breath, trying to prompt Jongin to listen to him. He chuckles at the effort, a bit in disbelief at how he manages to end up in such a situation; on the same couch as the neighbour he had been afraid to approach. Jongdae would be proud. Sehun can finally shut up.

 

“Bridesmaids maybe?” Jongin shrugs, acting like the movie just passed by in his mind. However Chanyeol doesn't miss a beat, laughing, and it is a little too adorable to see the way Chanyeol's eyes crinkling up in delight like that. Maybe, Chanyeol is just a little more than just sort of cute.

 

“Alright, I'll pretend that Baekhyun totally did not make you say that,” Chanyeol answers as Baekhyun shushes him, pushing him to get the movie playing on the screen.

 

Baekhyun starts squealing in glee next to Jongin as the movie starts and while Jongin doesn't really know what to do or think at all, he instinctively turns towards Chanyeol, probably to watch him under the disguise of the dimly lit room and movie playing, but he gets surprised by a pair of big, brown eyes staring right back at him.

 

Chanyeol's cheeks colour, Jongin feels the exact same but he takes delight in how it is affecting Chanyeol. The abashment washes over and they both are gazing at each other, silence in the air over them. Before the two can say anything, Jongin hears Baekhyun sighing, “If you two lovebirds don't quit that, I will push you two in a bedroom and lock it.”

 

Chanyeol barely recovers, merely clears his throat to retort back, “This is my apartment.”

 

Jongin's cheeks redden at Baekhyun's comment and immediately faces the television screen again. He tries to catch up with the humour of the movie but he is constantly distracted by said giant in the corner, flitting eyes to him every few seconds, watching how Chanyeol pick at his nails more than watch the movie.

 

A quarter in the movie, Baekhyun has begun laughing out loud and Jongin stares, confused at the chaos going on. In the midst of it all, he feels Chanyeol sliding up next to him, softly and so gently that Jongin barely notices the cushion sinking underneath him.

 

“Do you want some chocolate?”

 

Jongin nods, feeling his mouth dry at the thought of sweetness. Chanyeol smiles softly before passing the box of chocolates to him. Jongin recognises it from the parcel a while ago and tries to hide his smile, reaching over for the white chocolate, remembering that it was among the things he had tasted then.

 

It tastes as sweet as he remembers.

 

They both fawn over the chocolates through the movie, licking at chocolate-coated fingers and bumping elbows. Jongin reels in the warmth that Chanyeol radiates and forces himself to stay on his side of the boundary line. A few giggles slip once in a while when he understands the humours when mostly, it's just not so subtle sneak peeks at the boy next to him.

 

It had been so easy, Jongin kicks himself inwardly, yet he spent months, worrying about it.

 

In the middle of the movie, a call breaks them out of the silence, all three fumbling around for their phones when Jongin remembers all too tragically that he left his phone in his own apartment. The movie drones on in the background, Jongin watches Baekhyun takes his phone out of his back pocket, the one that had been ringing.

 

He silences it by answering the call and politely excuses himself to the kitchen to talk. Chanyeol grabs the remote and pauses the movie, looking as confused as Jongin feels.

 

“What's your major?” Chanyeol attempts to break the ice. Jongin bites back a laugh because it's cute that he is trying at the very least, he can't believe he had been afraid of talking to him.

 

Jongin hums, “It's undecided, I'm trying different classes to figure out.” He looks up, the curiosity sparks in him, “How about you?”

 

“Sociology!” Chanyeol exclaims too excitedly. “I actually changed my majors twice but I stuck with sociology, I think it's the closest to what I want.”

 

Jongin smiles, it's becoming more natural around Chanyeol, a little too quickly. “That's nice to have things figured out.” Jongin flops forward, resting his chin on his knees, “I take dance classes too as a hobby but that's the only thing I like.”

 

“Then, try for the arts, dude.”

 

Jongin winces at the mention of dude, he remembers Sehun's comment about it bearing familiarity to Junmyeon previously. Then, he scrapes all thoughts of Sehun immediately because it's toxic to even think about him.

 

He focuses on what Chanyeol said and hums again, “I don't think so...” Feeling the confidence waver in him and it aches to even talk about his major so he forces a laugh, attempts a joke, “Maybe I'll have to change my major like five times.”

 

Chanyeol's eyebrows furrow, Jongin's heart aches at the sign of concern coming from a _stranger._ He parts his lips to say something but Jongin doesn't get to hear the end of it as Baekhyun comes running out from the kitchen, eyes looking brighter than the little peek of sunlight from the curtains. A glint twinkles in his eyes and Jongin is once again reminded of Jongdae and his mischief.

 

“I have to go,” Baekhyun huffs out, already moving to grab his things. Chanyeol stands up at once, perplexity written all over his features. Baekhyun is inching towards the door, unlocking it as Chanyeol starts questioning him ten different questions as to why he's departing so fast.

 

“Family emergency, 'Yeol. I'll call you later,” then, Baekhyun's eyes drift towards Jongin whom is sitting on the sofa, really unsure of how to bid a guy he just met goodbye. This is why Sehun had been taunting him about being a socially awkward turtle, he can see the truth in it right at this moment. He lifts a hand to wave, Baekhyun laughs, a sound of fondness filling the air.

 

“As for you, stick with Chanyeol for me? Suffer through the Star Wars movies if you will.” And with that, Baekhyun waves back at Jongin, smiling as friendly as ever, and leaves both of them at a standstill, uncertain of how to go on.

 

Odd, Jongin had just met Baekhyun but he kind of needs the latter to be the bridge here.

 

Chanyeol stares back at Jongin, the tension builds up in the air. He lets out a half-hearted chuckle, rubbing his nape, eyes drifting back to the door where Baekhyun had just left through. Jongin's throat dries and it itches. The fear cripples up his throat and now his tongue is tied.

 

Chanyeol slowly makes his way back to the couch, eyes darting between the television screen and Jongin, and Jongin kind of gets the hint, understands the static silence in the air. His hands fumble around and he clumsily stands, his knees knocking into the table. It burns but he wants to leave so he manages to stagger to his feet and walks backwards. Chanyeol looks up, startled at the sound, and looks even more perplexed at the sight of Jongin leaving.

 

“Oh, sorry. Do you have something to do?” Chanyeol looks so apologetic and Jongin wants to stay but he is afraid of the static silence, the tension. He shakes his head and his gaze moves to his feet and he sighs, settling back down on the sofa.

 

Jongin pries his eyes open again to see Chanyeol's gaze softening at him. “Sorry,” Jongin finds himself saying. “I don't – I mean, I can't do the interaction thing. I'm bad at it.”

 

Chanyeol laughs heartily and it fills Jongin with warmth up to the very brim. He momentarily forgets about the tremors after blurting out his true thoughts and drowns in the sound of Chanyeol's laughter, and in the sight of the happiness on his face. Jongin admits, maybe it does run deeper than he thinks.

 

“I used to be bad at it too,” Chanyeol surprises him and the mortification ebbs away. Comfort sinks in. “Baekhyun? He's the one who brought me out of my zone. Otherwise, I'd be a shut in, reading manga and watching too many movies all day.”

 

“So you read manga?” is all Jongin can say to that, as his mind chooses to focus on that particular part and it screams out _“The One!!!”_ to his inner manga-loving fanatic. Chanyeol laughs again and again and Jongin is surrounded by the sun.

  
Chanyeol presses the play button on the remote and the movie drones on in the background like a piece of noise accompanying their conversations.

 

Everything comes out, with ease and Jongin has never thought that talking can be this easy. With every single detail he has learnt about Chanyeol, he finds himself sinking in further (except that the boy loves pineapples on pizza? A tragedy). Jongin struggles when Chanyeol asks questions about his academics but the knotted nerves untie themselves when Chanyeol switches his direction to asking about the arts, dance and anime. Jongin slips into the atmosphere and his mouth runs, filling the air with more words than he thought he is capable of. He listens and they chat about almost everything at once. The regret is there, Jongin admits, but at the sight of Chanyeol talking about why Star Wars is his favourite franchise, he realises it's better late than never.

 

Which could have been if he hadn't taken that one leap of bravery.

 

Speaking of... “Do you constantly forget your door number?” Jongin inquires, raising an eyebrow once Chanyeol finishes. He barely notices the tension in Chanyeol's movements, continuing, “I'm getting your parcels frequently and while I don't exactly mind... but it has been months too.”

 

Jongin laughs and it is cut short when he notices Chanyeol's lack of speech. The latter stays muted, Jongin's eyebrows draw together in confusion. “Hey,” he starts, leaning forward, catching Chanyeol's attention. “What's up?”

 

“I'm sorry,” Chanyeol apologises and it sounds too serious. He brings out the parcel that Jongin had received earlier and given to Baekhyun. “I kind of...just sent parcels to you and...” he trails off, pushing the parcel towards Jongin, wrapping his fingers around the plastic cover.

 

Jongin is further perplexed by it and Chanyeol lets out a long exhale, talking in a too fast pace. “I didn't know your name and I really thought you were cute and I wanted to catch your attention?”

 

Jongin's eyes widen, the words slowly breaking apart in his mind and when he catches the meaning, he barks out a laugh, too loud for the tense air and it shocks Chanyeol as well. He feels the pinches at the corners of his guts as the laughter spills out of his lips at the situation because it is indeed hilarious. All this time, they were both idiots and Jongin had been too afraid to approach this cute giant when it had been the same vice versa and Sehun would have the same laughing fit, hearing this.

 

_Idiot brained peas in the same pod,_ Sehun will say when he hears this and for once, Jongin can't even deny.

 

“Is it that ridiculous?” Chanyeol forces out a chuckle and Jongin shakes his head. He stops laughing, the giggles barely kept within his lips and he sports a goofy smile, wondering how the hell he ended up in this sort of situation.

 

“You thought I was cute?” Jongin asks and there it is; the blush peppering over Chanyeol's cheeks and even in the dark, it's what shines bright to Jongin other than the glint in Chanyeol's eyes. It's too endearing and a giggle slips at the sight.

 

“Are you making fun of what I said?” Chanyeol pouts and then, he shoves lightly at Jongin's shoulder. It surprises him but Jongin laughs anyway, shoving back.

 

“I just find it so funny because I think you're cute and I found it hard to talk to you too.”

 

Jongin's lips tingle from the confession but the sight of Chanyeol's cheeks reddening even further is worth it. The same burn sparks in Jongin's heart and his cheeks are hurting from smiling at this point.

 

“This is not at all how I expect it to go,” Chanyeol groans and he drags a hand down his cheek. Jongin's smile wanes and he raises an eyebrow, “How then?”

 

Chanyeol's smile is all vague and that glint is brightening, Jongin picks out hints of mischief in his gaze. His eyes flit towards the parcel in Jongin's hands, his own hands reaching forward to brush against Jongin's fingers tenderly. Warmth.

 

“Open that parcel and get back to me.”

 

 

 

 

 

Notes. Colourful post-it notes, resembling Jongin's. Scrawny handwriting that Jongin barely makes out, occupied with the most adorable doodles of puppies and Jedis (yes, Jongin knows his Star Wars) and small heart shapes.

 

Words of confession, _You look nice today_ and _Did you eat well? I hope you did_ are all dated at the corners of the notes.

 

And lastly, on a blue post-it note, Jongin smiles as he brings it up to his line of vision. The sun casts shadows against it, the light daintily painting across it, highlighting the words.

 

_Will you go out with me? 15.5.17_

 

 

 

 

 

(“I told you it will work out.” Baekhyun boasts, his chin held high. “Things always work out when I'm involved.”

 

“Alright, enough boasting. It was _my_ plan,” Jongdae points out with his forefinger arched against Baekhyun's nose. Baekhyun rolls his eyes as Jongdae leans back, dropping his hand. “At least now they're dating.”

 

“You're right,” Baekhyun sighs, his head hitting the faux leather cushioned booth lightly. “I can finally stop listening to Chanyeol whining about how Jongin is _the one_ because he watches One Piece and wears Luffy on his t-shirts.”

 

“I share the same sentiment, B.”)

 

 

 

 

 

“Do you know how glad I am to know that you appreciate Star Wars?” Chanyeol sighs fondly, rubbing his cheek against Jongin's shoulder in bliss. “I don't know what I'd do if I dated one more person who doesn't like it.”

 

Upon hearing this, Jongin pushes at Chanyeol's head lightly but it still causes the latter to fall off like a delicate feather. Jongin laughs but he tries to keep his facial expression in check, mocking seriousness.

 

“Are you trying to say you won't go out with me if I don't like playing with lightsabers?”

 

Chanyeol chuckles, leaning back in and Jongin is weakened by the softness in his eyes. Chanyeol drops a chaste kiss on Jongin's lips and he hates how he chases after the taste of peppermint on Chanyeol's tongue all too instinctively. The chuckle turns into a full laugh when Jongin whines.

 

“It's good that you know how to play with 'em lightsabers, babe,” Chanyeol wiggles his eyebrows at Jongin and he feels his cheeks burn at the implication. He lands a resounding slap on Chanyeol's thigh, earning a loud wince out of the other. Feeling satisfied, but his cheeks still burn, Jongin turns away.

 

“Shut up, 'Yeol.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> a huge huge thanks to the mods for another chance at a round of chankai this year!! and of course, for the immense patience they have with me. i hope you, the readers, enjoyed this as i've tried my v best to keep the chankai alive. i apologise for all the mentions of said franchises despite my lack of knowledge, i hope i didn't disappoint anyone. anyways, spread the love to all fics in this round!! c:


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